Wilderness Heroes

Roy and Betsy Miller in Gold Butte

Although they don’t have much interest in being the center of attention, Betsy and Roy Miller have garnered a lot of notice for the work they have done to protect one of Southern Nevada’s most treasured wild places — Gold Butte. Located between the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, Arizona, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, just south of the City of Mesquite, Gold Butte is named for an early 1900s settlement that was little more than a tent city of a thousand miners.

The conservation and wildlife community lost one of its strongest advocates and most outspoken supporters with the recent passing of Tony Dean. Dean was an easy-going, even-tempered sportsman from South Dakota who stood up for and spoke out on issues in which he believed. And one thing he believed very strongly was that conservation was fundamental to good hunting and fishing.

Commissioner Randy Eubanks

Reading Randy Eubanks’ bio, you might not immediately think he’s a dedicated supporter of community open space, smart growth, and responsible mining. But this former submarine sailor and nuclear industry professional, now a Commissioner in Larimer County Colorado, works for many good causes, including protecting wilderness in Rocky Mountain National Park.

John Seiberling taking a photo in the Cuyahoga Valley

John F. Seiberling often explained that in preserving land, we preserve something of ourselves. One generation sends an enduring message to its successors about what it holds dear.

These are the words of an editorial eulogy published in his hometown newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, after Congressman Seiberling’s death, at 89, in early August.

Clif Merritt in Montana

This is a perfectly characteristic picture of Clif Merritt, out in the field (here, in Montana) working to help prepare a citizen proposal for protection of a wilderness area.

Katya in the Badlands

When Katya Spiecker walked into the offices of the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) earlier this year, she probably didn't imagine that in a few short months she would take a leading role in the effort to protect Central Oregon's Badlands as wilderness. The Badlands, located just 15 miles east of Bend, is a 30,000-acre area containing fascinating lava flows and ancient junipers. This area was named for its harsh terrain and fantastic rock formations.

Jonathan Hanson, near Tucson; © Thomas Veneklasen

When you think about living the dream, you think about Jonathan Hanson. The native of rural Tucson who with his wife Roseann now lives southwest of Tucson, is building their home from sustainable materials and is a writer who edits and co-owns an eco-adventure magazine. He sea kayaks in the Sea of Cortez, leads African safaris, and is a vocal advocate for open space protection and preserving our wild public lands as Wilderness.